


A Helping Hand

by midoritakamine



Series: apheeweek 2017 [6]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: APHEEWeek 2017, F/M, Human Names Used, video games - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-25
Updated: 2017-02-25
Packaged: 2018-09-26 18:26:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9915350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midoritakamine/pseuds/midoritakamine
Summary: Eduard can't beat this goddamn level.





	

**Author's Note:**

> For apheeweek on tumblr combining the prompts of "Video Games" + "Esttai"
> 
> I had to run a Twitter poll to figure out what to write and I ended up going with Esttai because I’m a sucker for super rarepairs, and this could be somebody’s OTP. I’m always here to provide content for rarepairs.
> 
> This is still canonverse, but with human names used.

Hit X. Roll to the right twice. Duck. Double tap O. Use the-

“Dammit!” Tossing the controller onto the table, Eduard sets his chin in his hand. The other massages his temple as his brow reflexively twitches with irritation. This level is _goddamn impossible_.

He doesn’t notice when Xiao Mei pokes her head into the room, a bemused look on her face. She wipes her hands on the apron over her qipao and slides quietly across the room. Her elbows rest on the back of the couch and, with an all but catlike grin she’s picked up from her baking partner Emma, she asks, “Having an issue?”

Eduard lifts his head and turns to look at her. He doesn’t mean to look so angry, but having died over twenty times on the same level on _his own damn birthday_ makes a difference in his attitude. He forces himself to smile at her though. She didn’t do anything wrong. “I’m fine. This boss just hates me.”

“Video game boss or country boss?” She glances back towards the kitchen before puffing air out, blowing hair from her face. She swings over the couch (a trick Natalya must have shown her, Eduard notes, because Natalya is the only person Xiao Mei hangs out with that has acrobatic skills) and plops ungracefully, almost completely in his lap. He grunts when her weight comes down on him, but otherwise just looks at her blankly. She blinks at him. “Heard you had an issue with your country boss.”

He sucks in a sharp breath and groans. “Xiao Mei, can I please have the day to imagine myself without the responsibilities for all my citizens, as if I’m a human? Thank you?” Trying to be mad at her is a lot easier than actually being mad at her, but regret nabs at his gut when her face turns downcast just a fraction. He runs a hand through his hair, then sets it on top of her head and ruffles hers. “Sorry, it’s- my temper runs away from me when I play.”

She observes him for a few seconds before huffing. “You better be sorry! I got you that game right from Kiku, fresh off the line. With subtitles added by him personally. Just for your birthday. Not to mention I’m making you a cake!” Her finger digs into his cheek and he leans away from the jab. “Where’s my thank you?”

“Thank you,” says Eduard, and for added kicks he pulls her poking finger away and kisses the tip of it. Xiao Mei looks as if she wants to angry, but her lips curl up into a grin and her chest shakes with held-in laughter. She taps his lips with the same finger and pulls her hand out of his grip.

“Y’know, I demo’d this game for Kiku’s developers.” Xiao Mei crosses her ankles, legs still across his lap, and she leans back to rest on her palms. “I know how to beat this boss.” She side-eyes him. “If you want-”

“Please help me before I have to resign as the country of Estonia and become a full-time video gamer just to kill this guy.”

“What do I get?”

Eduard gives her an incredulous stare. “Y-you offered, and it’s my birthday!”

In return, she grins devilishly. “I still have your cake to make. And I have to set up your outdoor patio for the party. Remember, it starts at fifteen.” Eduard glances up and notices the clock stares back with the time. It’s 13:02. “So,” he directs his attention back to Xiao Mei when she continues, “if you want me to beat this boss for you, make that cake, and set up the party area, I want something.”

“Like what?” asks Eduard cautiously. As endearing as she is, Xiao Mei has been known to request... strange favors.

She picks up the controller and hits restart. After she beats the boss on her first try (making Eduard feel even more like an idiot), she looks back at him and says, “Matching Halloween costumes. I wanna be Sailor Moon, and have you as Tuxedo Mask. Deal?”


End file.
